December 22

This Day in History

1989

The Romanian army defects to the cause of anti-communist demonstrators, and the government of Nicolae Ceausescu is overthrown. The end of 42 years of communist rule came three days after Ceausescu's … (more...)

1956

"On this day in 1956, Colo became the first gorilla to be born in captivity. She was born in Ohio’s Columbus Zoo to Millie Christina and Baron Macombo, western lowland gorillas that had been captured … (more...)

1938

"On this day in 1938, South African museum curator Marjorie Courtenay-Latimer discovered a coelacanth—a metre-long prehistoric fish thought to be extinct—from among a trawler’s catch. Albeit an … (more...)